Rat
by Butterfly Dancing
Summary: Grace has a new pet...and not just any pet.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Rat

Author: Elizabeth

Category: GL

Summary: Grace gets a new pet rat.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Joan of Arcadia or any of its characters. This is all in good fun. Thanks to shadow for the idea! Yes. This fic is just for her.

Grace had heard about it from someone at her anarchist meeting. She thought it would be interesting to have a new pet, especially one that spoke volumes of what type of person she was. So after school, Grace went down to Arcadia College and looked at all of the small creatures in their cages. She looked inside one cage to see a white rat with red eyes cowering in a corner. She rested her finger on the bar of the cage.

"Hey little guy. What are you doing back there?"

The rat regarded her before making it's way toward her and sniffing at her finger. Grace smirked. She looked at the kid behind the small display.

"I'll take this one." Grace said.

"Good choice." He told her how to take care of the rat and Grace took him home.

* * *

She found a place in her room for him and opened the cage. The rat looked around his new home curiously before slowly making its way to the door of the cage. Grace held her hand out and the rat stepped onto her palm. 

"There we go. So you're my new pet huh?"

The rat stood on his hind legs and looked up at the ceiling. Grace chuckled.

* * *

"I got a new pet! Check him out!" Grace said holding up the tiny cage with the mouse inside. 

Joan, Adam and Luke looked at her, shocked that she had done this.

"Only you would get a pet rat." Adam said.

"Where did you get him?" Joan asked.

"They were giving him away at Arcadia College. I decided to get him."

"Wow." Luke said. "What's his name?"

Grace pursed her lips. "I hadn't thought about that."

Luke smiled. Grace held the cage up and Luke set his finger on the bar.

"Hello there little fella." The mouse came over and sniffed his finger.

"Want to feed him a pellet?" Grace dropped one in Luke's hand.

Luke held the pellet on his index finger and waited for the rat to take it. When he did, Luke smiled.

"He likes me."

"Yep." Grace grinned.

"Aw I want to pet him!" Joan said.

Grace raised an eyebrow and held the cage out toward her. Joan gently stuck her finger in the cage to stroke the rat's fur. Unfortunately, the rat made a noise and opened his mouth as if to bite her. Joan quickly yanked her hand away.

"Hey! He was going to bite me!" Joan said shocked.

"Oh…sorry Girardi guess he got nervous." Grace said laughing slightly.

"Let me try." Adam stuck his finger inside and the rat opened his mouth, baring teeth. Adam immediately drew his hand back. "Grace um…I think he hates us."

Grace rolled his eyes. "He doesn't hate you! He's just…nervous about meeting new people."

"Grace, he let Luke feed him a pellet! He hates us." Joan said.

"I'm just comfortable around him." Luke defended himself.

"And we're not?" Adam asked.

"Okay guys. I think he's had enough excitement. Maybe one more day and he'll like you guys better."

Joan and Adam rolled their eyes.

* * *

The next day, Grace brought the rat over to the Girardi's to study. Joan tried to pet him again but he bared his teeth. Joan came to the conclusion that the rat hated her and she kept away from him. He also seemed to hate Adam. 

After they finished studying, Grace went up to Luke's room to hang out. She took the rat out of his cage and let him crawl around on Luke's bed. She lye down and the rat crawled onto her leg and went up the rest of the way to her stomach. Luke smiled from his spot.

"He has definitely taken to you."

Grace nodded. "Yeah. I guess we've bonded."

Luke walked over to sit on the floor beside the bed. He held his finger cautiously toward the rat and smiled when the rat reached up and took a hold of his finger, gently nibbling on it.

"So have you thought of a name?"

Grace pondered. "I think I'll name his Fangs."

Luke nodded. "Sounds good. I definitely saw the chompers on this one when he nearly got Joan."

Grace laughed. "I wonder why he hates everyone so much. Except for you and me."

Luke shrugged. "Well they do say that pets take after their owners."

Grace snickered. "Oh really? But I don't hate Joan or Adam."

Luke merely shrugged. "Who knows?"

Grace looked at her pet and smiled. "I can't wait to introduce you to Friedman."

Fangs just looked at her.

* * *

Friedman took his finger away and looked at Grace. "That thing should be certifiable, Grace! Why would you keep something that bites everyone he meets?" 

Grace scoffed. "He's never bitten me."

Friedman looked at Luke. "Dude, your girlfriend is nuts."

"What? He's cute." Luke opened the cage and Friedman jumped.

"Luke, no! He bites!"

Luke rolled his eyes and allowed Fangs to crawl along his arm and settle on his shoulder. Fangs settled in the crevice of his shoulder blade and closed his eyes. Grace laughed.

Friedman put his finger near the rat's belly. Fangs opened his eyes and made a hissing noise causing Friedman to back away.

"Dude! You two…are insane!" Friedman rushed off.

Glynis walked over and smiled at the white mouse settled on Luke's shoulder. "How cute! You got a rat?"

"It's Grace's actually." Luke said.

"Oh can I pet him?" she looked at Grace.

Grace shook her head. "He bites anyone who tries to touch him."

Glynis looked at the rat curiously. "Animal instincts, maybe." She put her finger near the rat and sure enough he hissed at her. Glynis backed away and nodded.

"And you're not scared…why?" Grace asked curiously.

Glynis shook her head. "My dog acts that way all the time. Pure animal instincts. He's protecting you and Luke. See you guys in Physics." She walked away.

Grace looked at Luke curiously. "Huh. She might be right. Why is that weird?"

Luke smirked. "No clue."

Grace held her hand out and Fangs eagerly crawled along her arm and settled on her shoulder.

"I'm heading to Physics, you coming?" Luke asked.

"I'll be there in a minute I'm going to get his pellets."

Luke nodded and headed to class. Grace went to her locker and got the small baggy. She ended up getting to class late and Ms. Lishak gave her a look.

"Ms. Polk, it's a wonder you even show up at all. How many more detentions do you need?"

Grace just looked at her. "I was getting something from my locker."

Ms. Lishak rolled her eyes. "Excuses, excuses."

Suddenly, Fangs let out a huge hiss and seemed to glare at Ms. Lishak. Ms. Lishak jumped and sighed.

"I'll be taking that." She reached out to take the rat but he crawled down Grace's arm, down to her leg, off of her foot, across the room, and straight into Luke's hand.

Everyone applauded and Luke bowed slightly before putting Fangs on his shoulder.

"Take your seat Ms. Polk." Ms. Lishak said visibly shaken.

Grace smirked and went to her seat. Luke turned and smiled at her. Grace grinned.

"Smart rat you got there, Grace." Joan whispered.

"I lucked out, huh?" Grace said.

"Mm hmm. Twice." Joan said before returning to her notebook.

* * *

Later in the biology closet, Luke and Grace had their palms out in front of them and were allowing Fangs to crawl across either of them if he wished. 

"That was quite a performance Fangs gave today." Luke said.

Grace nodded. "He was quite a hit."

Luke looked at her. "I have to say I never expected to have an incredible girlfriend and a talented rat at the same time."

Grace laughed. "You imagined having a pet rat?"

Luke shrugged. "Well…maybe not a pet rat but that's a bonus."

Grace blushed and Luke, being careful of Fangs, kissed Grace softly on the lips.

End.


	2. Chapter 2

Due to popular request and _ahem_ blackmail…here it part two. Enjoy!

Title: Fangs: A Rat's Tale

Author: Elizabeth

Category: GL

Summary: Mr. And Mrs. Polansky meet Fangs.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Joan of Arcadia or any of its characters. This is all in good fun.

Rabbi Polansky knocked on his daughter's door and waited for her to answer before going in.

"Grace I…" he froze seeing a rat sitting calmly on her stomach eating a cookie. He looked at Grace, who was reading a book. "Um…what's that?"

Grace rolled her eyes. "It's a scorpion, dad."

Rabbi Polansky shook his head. "When did you buy a rat?"

"Three days ago." She answered.

"And how did I not notice this?"

"You were working and mom's too drunk to notice."

"Grace…"

"Done talking dad." Grace said looking down at her book.

Rabbi Polansky shook his head. "Grace, why didn't you tell me about this?"

Grace glanced up at her dad. He looked like he really wanted to talk to her. Grace sighed and closed her book. She cupped Fangs in one hand and put him in his cage. She sat up on her bed.

"Would you really have let me get a rat?" she asked point blank.

Rabbi Polansky chuckled in disbelief and shook his head. "You would have gotten one anyway."

"Answer the question dad. Yes or no?"

He shook his head. "I guess not."

"So…when I'm not with the Geek or Girardi or Rove, I'm here and I have absolutely no one to talk to. By the time I get home, mom is already on her second bottle of wine and I'm stuck having to make sure she doesn't puke. I needed something to keep my mind off of this when I didn't have my friends around to bug me."

Her father didn't know how to respond to that. He didn't have any excuses to give her.

"It's…it's hard, Grace. On all of us but we have to work together on this."

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Work together? So you going to work and staying there until midnight and me staying here and half dragging her to bed is working together?"

Rabbi Polansky sighed. "Honey…"

"Um I'm going to head out to see Luke in a bit so…"

"Right." He nodded and went over to the rat's cage. He waved slightly. "Hello there. I hear you're a new member of the family?"

Fangs regarded him and then bared his teeth. Rabbi Polansky jumped slightly and looked at Grace, who smirked slightly.

"Don't worry. He does that to everybody who's not me or Luke."

He just smiled slightly and shook his head before leaving the room.

Grace got ready to head to Luke's and she went over to Fangs. "Don't into any trouble, okay? I'll be back later."

Fangs looked at her as she left.

* * *

When Grace got home, she immediately went upstairs to check on Fangs. When she went to her room, she saw the door was ajar. She pushed it open and saw that Fangs' cage was open.

"Oh no. Fangs!" Grace went through her room searching for the rat. She ran into the bathroom and checked every nook and cranny. She ran downstairs and looked everywhere, fearing that somehow her mother had found Fangs and…no she would not go there!

After Grace went through the house a second time, she heard her mom scream.

"Mom! What's wrong?" she ran into the laundry room. On top of the washer sat her mom holding a blue shirt to her chest with one hand and her other hand was pointing into the laundry hamper. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and her mouth was quivering.

Grace went over to the hamper to see Fangs innocently sitting on a pair of pants.

"There you are!" Grace bent down and held out her hand. Fangs crawled up her arm and settled on her shoulder. Grace looked at her mother. Sarah gave her an incredulous look

"Wha…how…where…what is that Gracie?"

"It's Fangs, my pet rat. Isn't he cool?" Grace gave Fangs a smirk and looked at her mother.

Sarah took a deep breath. "When did this happen?"

"Three days ago."

Sarah shook her head and got off the washer going into the kitchen. "I need a drink." She muttered.

Grace just nodded and looked at Fangs. "Well what do you think?"

Fangs just put his head down and fell asleep. Grace nodded. "Fair enough."


	3. Chapter 3

Okay thanks for the feedback and considering I am still under blackmail, I will be getting the next chapter out soon...WITHOUT my beta's help.

Title: Fangs: A Rat's Tale

Author: Elizabeth

Category: GL

Summary: Grace's rat enjoys sending his owner and Luke on a wild rat chase.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Joan of Arcadia or any of its characters. This is all in good fun.

Because Grace couldn't keep bringing Fangs with her to classes, her teachers kept threatening to get her suspended if she brought him in one more time, she would put him in the biology closet with plenty of food and she would check on him at lunch. Luke would check on him after school and wait for Grace to show up.

One day, Grace was sitting in her English class when everyone heard people shrieking in the hallway. The teacher went to see what was going on while students waited to see what was going on. Luke suddenly showed up at the door.

"Fangs got loose!" he said looking toward her. Joan looked freaked out. "How did you let your rat escape? He's going to be hissing at people!" she looked around, hoping that the rat wasn't under her feet.

Grace looked at her. "Not if he isn't caught first."

They ran into the hallway and looked around.

"Okay, tell me what happened."

"I was just sitting in class and someone ran in yelling that a rat was loose. I knew it had to be Fangs." Luke said.

Grace groaned and they looked around.

"What? How?" Grace jumped up and grabbed her bag.

"No idea!"

They heard another shriek and ran in that direction.

"Where did he go?" Grace asked the freaked out teenager.

"That way!" she pointed up the hallway stairs.

Grace shook her head and headed for the stairs. "Dude, get his cage!"

Luke nodded and raced back to the biology closet.

Grace spotted Fangs at the end of the hallway and growled. "Fangs! Get your little pink tail over here right now!"

Fangs jumped up on his hind legs before running off.

"Oh you are not leaving your cage for a week buster!" Grace ran after him.

Kids all around were shrieking as the rat ran past and they backed away so as not to get hit by Grace.

Fangs ran into the art room and jumped on Helen's lap. Helen looked down in shock and couldn't move. She was frozen in her spot. Grace showed up at the doorway.

"Mrs. Girardi?" she asked.

Helen looked at her, her eyes wide. "Get. Him. Off. Me."

Grace went towards her but Fangs ran down Helen's leg and out the door. Grace grabbed her hair in her hands and pulled hard.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Girardi!" Grace ran out of the room. Luke stood there with his cage.

"I tried to get him but he just looked at me before running off again!"

"Oh…you take one part of the school and I'll take the other. Don't let him get outside." Grace ran off.

Grace ran past Adam, who had a look of shock on his face.

"I think you're rat winked at me when I tried to grab him!" Adam said shakily.

Grace glared at him. "Rats don't wink, Rove! This one will be a blind mouse when I'm through with him!"

She ran off ignoring his look of shock. She followed Fangs into the office and went to the doorway of Price's office. Grace smirked. Price was on top of his desk and Fangs was sitting on the chair, his hind legs up and his eyes glaring up at Price. Grace folded her arms and leaned against the doorway.

Price spotted her. "Ms. Polk, get your rat out of my office!"

Grace chuckled. "He's doing just fine, Price."

Price glared at her. "I will give you three seconds."

Grace pulled out her camera phone and got ready to take a picture. "More than I'll need."

"Ms. Polk, that…_thing _is a menace to society! Get him out of here!"

"Aw…is big bad Price scared of the itty bitty rat?" Grace said in a high voice.

Price glowered at her. Grace rolled her eyes.

"Come on Fangs you've had enough for one day." Grace went toward him but Fangs ran off before she could get him.

Grace groaned and ran after him. She ran down the hallway and saw Fangs come to a stop. She stopped where she was and Luke showed up at the other end.

"Got no where to go, Fangs. Luke is down there and I'm over here." Grace said folding her arms.

Fangs looked at the two of them before running. Luke put the cage on the ground and Fangs ran right into the cage. Luke lifted the cage and closed the door before Fangs could try to escape again.

"I think you've had enough excitement for one day." Luke smirked.

Grace walked over and laughed. "You are the school's hero. As for you little guy you are so in trouble. How did you get out of your cage?"

"Some idiot let him out." Luke said. "They went in the closet for something and he opened the door to feed him."

Grace shook her head. "No one but me or you feeds this rat!"

They heard someone clear their throat and turned around to look at Price.

"Ms. Polk and Mr. Girardi, detention for the both of you."

Luke looked puzzled. "For?"

"For reckless endangerment to this school."

Luke held out the cage. "It's just a little white rat."

Price glared at Fangs. Fangs in turn bared his teeth.

* * *

In detention that afternoon, Grace was drawing in her notebook and Luke was reading a science book. The teacher up front was grading papers. Grace looked down at the cage where Fangs was sitting. She smiled down at him and opened the cage to reach in and pet him. 

"Polk! Hand off the rat." The teacher said. "I'm only letting you keep him here so he doesn't escape again."

Grace grumbled and went to close the cage. But before she could, Fangs raced out, ran across the desk, into her lap, down her leg, and over to where the teacher sat. Fangs ran around his legs causing the teacher to jump around. Grace got up and grabbed the cage.

"Come on, geek!"

Luke looked up startled and closed his magazine. "What?"

"Let's go!" They ran to the door. "Fangs, come on!"

Fangs gave one last run before rushing out. The teacher just sat there gasping for breath.

Luke and Grace got outside the school and couldn't hold in their laughter.

"Do you realize how much trouble I'm going to be in?" Luke asked.

"Oh come on, geek live a little!" Grace chuckled and looked at Fangs who was peering up at them as if expecting a treat. Luke and Grace just grinned.

"You are one grounded rat." Luke said.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks again for the feedback everyone! Now...to my blackmailer, due to the terms of our agreement and since you did not beta this chapter, you are to hand over the loot! No excuses!

Title: Fangs: A Rat's Tale

Author: Elizabeth

Category: GL

Summary: Meeting Luke's family

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Joan of Arcadia or any of its characters. This is all in good fun.

Saturday came seeing Luke and Grace at their respective homes IMing each other. Fangs was in his cage asleep for the moment.

GravityBoy: You know…I think it's time Fangs met my mom and dad

Blackwidow4U: He's already been acquainted with your mother. Do I need to remind you of our detention?

GravityBoy: I'm still on dish duty. But my dad hasn't met him yet! I'm sure he'd love to meet the little guy.

Blackwidow4U: You aren't letting this go are you?

GravityBoy: Not a chance.

Blackwidow4U: All right, fine. When?

GravityBoy: Tonight. At dinner.

Blackwidow4U: How did I know there would be an angle?

GravityBoy: Grace!

Blackwidow4U: Hey! What did I say about the name thing?

GravityBoy: Right. Sorry. So, how about it?

Blackwidow4U: What time should I be there?

GravityBoy: 7:00?

Blackwidow4U: Fine. See you then.

GravityBoy: Great!

Blackwidow4U has logged off 

Grace went over to Fangs and looked in on him. "Well dude, it looks like you will be meeting the rest of the geek's family. You'll like them, I promise."

Fangs continued to sleep.

Grace rang the doorbell and Helen answered. She gave a slight start seeing Fangs sitting on her shoulder.

"Hello Grace, come on in."

Grace walked in. "Thanks for letting me come, Mrs. Girardi."

"You're welcome here anytime you want." Helen said with a smile.

"Um…where is everyone?"

"Oh Luke and Joan are setting the table. Kevin is upstairs finishing an article and Will is making dinner."

Grace nodded. "I'm going to go say hi."

Grace went into the kitchen and smiled smelling lasagna. She remembered coming here once expecting to get lasagna. Will turned and smiled upon seeing her.

"Hello Grace." He went to turn away when he suddenly froze. He turned back and stared at the rat sitting on Grace's shoulder. "I…see we have a special guest tonight."

Luke walked in and grinned. "I see you met Fangs. Isn't he cool?"

Will regarded the teens, shaking his head and smiling. "Yeah. Uh can I pet him?"

"Uh you can try but he tends to…try and bite people who aren't me and the geek." Grace smiled.

"Uh…huh. Well…dinner will be ready soon."

"Okay dad." Luke said. "Come on Grace."

They headed into the living room and Helen went into the kitchen. Helen smiled at Will.

"Now you see the reason why Luke is on dish duty."

"They don't refer to each other as mommy and daddy when it comes to the rat do they?" Will asked, concerned.

Helen laughed. "No honey."

Will nodded, glancing towards the stairs before going back to the lasagna.

Luke knocked on Kevin's door and Kevin glanced over at him.

"Yo."

"Hey." Luke and Grace walked in. "There's someone we'd like you to meet."

Kevin looked up and smirked seeing the rat sitting on Grace's shoulder. "Nice. I didn't expect to be Uncle Kevin so soon but dang am I proud."

Grace raised an eyebrow and Luke rolled his eyes.

Kevin chuckled and reached out to pet the rat. Fangs glared at Kevin and bared his teeth, making a hissing sound. Kevin recoiled and gave Fangs a look.

"Man! What did I ever do to you!"

Grace and Luke laughed and Joan came in. "Okay people! Dinner's ready!" Joan regarded Fangs and shuddered before leaving the room.

They went downstairs and sat at the table. Everyone began eating and talking about the week ahead of them. As they were eating, Fangs crawled down Grace's arm and sat on the table. Helen gave Fangs a look and cleared her throat.

Luke smiled apologetically and held out his hand face up. "Come here, Fangs. Good boy."

Fangs crawled up Luke's arm and settled down onto his shoulder where he promptly fell asleep. Grace smiled and Luke smiled back at her. They glanced over to see everyone just looking at them. They went back to eating.

After dinner, Luke got his jacket to walk Grace home, even though she insisted with her 'rat bodyguard' she was fine. Luke ignored her and walked her home anyway.

"That was an awesome dinner. Thanks for inviting me." Grace said.

"Thanks for coming." Luke smiled. "Fangs was a big hit."

"Of course he was!" Grace looked at the rat in question. "You had fun didn't you?"

Fangs made a couple sounds then lye down.

Grace chuckled. "Well I better get him to his cage."

"Yeah." Luke grinned. "So I'll see you later?"

"You bet." Grace nodded.

Luke kissed her and Grace went inside. Luke sighed and headed home.


End file.
